Media Resources

Release Date: 09/13/2011

ShopSmart Cuts the Fat with Smart Food Swaps

15 Foods to Reduce Fat Intake and Help Prevent Health Problems

YONKERS, NY — Fats can be sneaky – they lurk in lots of everyday, packaged food items and can put people at risk for heart disease and other health issues. The October 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, found 15 popular packaged goods that are surprisingly high in fat and suggests low-fat swaps for each.

“Just because beach weather is over doesn’t mean that people are ready to give up on their diets,” said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. “A lot of packaged foods have a shocking amount of fat in them, so we did the dirty work of sifting out some high fat products and finding alternatives with as much as 89% less fat.”

Keep an eye out for these words on the label when you’re at the store. But pay attention to serving sizes! A true serving can be pretty small, so even if the label says “low fat,” you might be getting more fat and calories than you think.

Fat Free: Less than 0.5 grams of fat

Low Fat: A maximum of 3 grams of fat

Reduced Fat: At least 25 percent less fat than a similar food has

Trans-fat Free: Less than 0.5 grams of trans fat

About ShopSmart magazine:Launched in Fall 2006 by Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, ShopSmart draws upon Consumer Reports’ celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased product reviews. The magazine features product reviews, shopping tips on how to get the most out of products and “best of the best” lists. ShopSmart is ideal for busy shoppers who place a premium on time. ShopSmart has a newsstand price of $4.99 and is available nationwide at major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Borders, Kroger, Safeway and Publix. ShopSmart is available by subscription at www.ShopSmartmag.org.